Parkland 17 Memorial moves into engineering phase with 2028 opening planned

Coral Springs, Florida – The Parkland 17 Memorial, planned on the border of Coral Springs and Parkland to honor the 17 people killed in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, has reached another important stage, with organizers now targeting February 2028 for its opening.

The Parkland 17 Memorial Foundation announced Sept. 1 that the project has moved into the engineering phase. The step brings the long-planned memorial closer to construction, as technical drawings and other engineering work are prepared for the site.

East Coast Builders of Florida is handling the engineering drawings and is donating the work to the project. Foundation officials described the contribution as an important boost as they continue working toward turning the memorial design into a completed site.

“We are so grateful to East Coast Builders who stepped up to bring us to the next step in our building journey,” said Tony Montalto, vice chairman of the foundation, father of Gina Montalto, who was one of the victims in the massacre, and liaison to the victims’ families.

The planned opening date of February 2028 has particular significance. It will mark 10 years since the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, when 17 students and staff members were killed.

The memorial is planned within a 150-acre preserve in Heron Bay, an area that sits across the Coral Springs and Parkland border. The foundation selected the location in part because it connects the two communities affected by the tragedy.

Read also: Florida orders license plate readers off state roads while Coral Springs keeps its 56 cameras

The site is being made available through a 50-year lease with the North Springs Improvement District. The lease was signed in 2022, providing the foundation with a long-term location for the memorial.

The design was created by artist Gordon Huether. At the center of the planned memorial will be 17 limestone obelisks, with each one representing a person who died in the shooting. The obelisks will surround a fountain and an engraved poem.

The design will also include royal palms and shaded seating areas, creating a setting intended for remembrance and reflection.

For the foundation, reaching the engineering phase represents progress after years of planning and fundraising. But organizers say additional financial support is still needed before the project can be completed.

The memorial is being funded through donations, and the foundation is asking residents, businesses and other foundations to contribute toward the remaining costs. The organization, which operates as a Florida nonprofit, said community support will be essential to moving the project ahead.

“The completion of the engineering plans is a major milestone for us as we move forward to erecting this Memorial,” said Foundation Chair Michael Moser. “What this means is that we need the community and businesses to find it in their hearts to continue supporting these families and helping our community heal by making a donation to build the memorial.”

The foundation’s fundraising effort comes as the project moves from planning and design toward the practical work required before construction can begin. The donated engineering services from East Coast Builders of Florida will help advance that process.

Organizers are now looking toward the 10-year anniversary of the shooting as the target for opening the memorial. If the project remains on schedule, the site will provide a permanent place for families, friends, residents and visitors to remember the 17 victims.

The location along the Coral Springs-Parkland border also reflects the connection between the two communities. Heron Bay’s preserve will provide the setting for the 17 memorial markers, landscaping and gathering areas envisioned in Huether’s design.

Read also: Coral Springs police arrest man accused of driving stolen car with seven types of drugs

As work continues, the foundation is encouraging those who want to support the project to make donations through Parkland17.org. The fundraising campaign will help cover the remaining costs needed to take the memorial from engineering plans to a finished site.

With the engineering phase now underway, the Parkland 17 Memorial is closer to becoming a physical tribute to the 17 lives lost on Feb. 14, 2018. The next major goal is construction, followed by the planned February 2028 opening, a date that will carry a deeply personal meaning for the victims’ families and the communities surrounding the school.